Description of a system for interlocking elevated temperature mechanical tests
Long term mechanical creep and fatigue testing at elevated temperatures requires reliable systems with safeguards to prevent destruction of equipment, loss of data and negative environmental impacts. Toward this goal, a computer controlled system has been developed and built for interlocking tests run on elevated temperature mechanical test facilities. Sensors for water flow, water pressure, water leakage, temperature, power and hydraulic status are monitored to control specimen heating equipment through solid state relays and water solenoid valves. The system is designed to work with the default interlocks present in the RF generators and mechanical tests systems. Digital hardware consists of two National Instruments 1/0 boards mounted in a Macintosh IIci computer. Software is written in National Instruments LabVIEW. Systems interlocked include two MTS closed loop servo controlled hydraulic test frames, one with an RF generator and one with both an RF generator and a quartz lamp furnace. Control for individual test systems is modularized making the addition of more systems simple. If any of the supporting utilities fail during tests, heating systems, chill water and hydraulics are powered down, minimizing specimen damage and eliminating equipment damage. The interlock control is powered by an uninterruptible power supply. Upon failure the cause is documented in an ASCII file.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 93611
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-95-1439; ON: DE95015736
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jul 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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